X1 Wind scale prototype — X1 Wind
Renewable energy only accounts for around 11% of global energy production. This is a staggeringly low figure, considering that if we are to reach net-zero by 2050 and save the world, renewable energy needs to account for at least 60% of global energy production in less than seven years’ time. Reaching this target will take a mammoth international effort and brilliant innovations to make renewable energy roll-out cheaper, faster and easier. Luckily, X1 Wind has done this innovation; their unique pyramid-shaped offshore wind turbine is set to help us harness the most environmentally friendly form of energy like never before! But is it enough?
Before we dive into X1’s brilliant design, we first need to recap how current wind power works.
There are four types of wind power, inland, onshore, offshore fixed and offshore floating. Inland and onshore place the giant wind turbines out of the water and on the land or next to the shore. These are easier to build and maintain as access is easy, but their location limits the amount of wind they receive. Offshore fixed is used in shallow waters, as the giant pylon is affixed to the seafloor. This makes installation and maintenance tricky and inexpensive, but it boosts the amount of wind they receive. Offshore floating is used in deep water locations, typically far from shore. Installation and maintenance are complicated, but this far out to sea, floating offshore wind turbines receive by far the most wind out of any type of wind power.
Out of all of these different designs, floating offshore wind power holds the most promise. This is because the emissions associated with wind power come from producing the turbine, so placing it in a location with more wind will lead to lower overall emissions per kWh. Now, wind power currently only emits on average 11g per kWh, with some reports finding it to be as low as 6g per kWh, and that’s with inland and onshore dominating output. If we shifted to floating offshore, that figure could drop even further. Moreover, building massive wind farms far offshore doesn’t drive terrestrial habitat loss. This not only makes acquiring planning for these farms much easier, making floating offshore wind ideal for rapid expansion, but it also…
